Hoop-skirt



(No Model.) E. G. LAUB.

HOOP SKIRT.

WL'ZIZeJJeJ. fnl/enfa 9% Qua QM M0934? 4 /9- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMILIE C. LAUB, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOOP-SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,649, dated September 2, 1890. Application filed February 14, 1890- Serial No. 340,496- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMILIE C. LAUB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hoop-Skirts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The special object of this invention is to make a hoop-skirt which will expand and contract at its lower portion in front and behind, thus giving perfect freedom of movement to thelimbs of the wearer when walking, and thus rendering it unnecessary to lift the outer garments in order to clear the ground or pavement; also, to make the waistband which supports the skirt detachable, and to connect detachably a bustle with the skirt, so that different sizes of bustles may be worn.

Figure 1 of the drawingsisan elevation showing the skirt, waistband, and bustle united; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the hoop-skirt expanded. Fig. 3 is an inside detail view show ing the expanding and contracting spring in position.

In the drawings, A represents the upper hoops, of steel or other suitable material, increasing in diameter from the top downward.

B B represent my two sections of the skirt, consisting of semicircular hoops I) Z), preferably made integral with the vertical bars I) l), the bars of the two semicircular and semiconical frames being jointed together by the pivots b b at the top.

On the inside of the bars I) b, I form tubular guides 12 through which pass the arms of a detachable spring 0, said arms 0 0 being connected at the top by the spring-bow c',so that they easily expand gradually toward the bottom as the limbs press the frames 13 B in walking.

In order to guide the frames and cause the meeting edges of the bars I) b to abut squarely against each other, I employ curved guides D, with pivoted end loops d (I, through which pass the semicircular hoops of the frames B 13. The circular and semicircular hoops are all connected at the rear of the skirt by two vertical tapes or other flexible connections II, which are made fast thereto, and to these are secured rings E, to which are attached the sides of a bustle F, whereby a bustle of the exact size desired may always be worn.

G is the usual waistband which supports the skirt, and which is detachably connected with the skirt-tapes H I by the hooks and eyes 71. h and with the bustle by hooks f and loops g or equivalent devices.

By connecting the semicircular hoops of the sections B B rigidly to the vertical bars b they are prevented from curling up inwardly, as is so often the case in the ordinary hoopskirt.

What I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hoop-skirt having the semicircular and semi-conical frames B B, consisting of the horizontal hoops b and vertical bars I), the latter pivoted together at the top and provided with an expanding and contracting spring, as and for the purpose described.

2. In a hoop-skirt, the combination, with the jointed frames B B, of the guides b and spring 0, having the arms 0 a passing through said guides and connected at top by a spring-bow c, as shown and described.

3. In a hoop-skirt, the combination, with the frames B B, jointed at the top, of the curved bands D, pivoted at each end to said frames B B by the end loops (Z (Z, substantially as shown and described.

111 testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMILIE C. LAUB. Witnesses:

CHAS. E. LAUB, CHRIST FLINN. 

